


three truths and a lie (or two)

by sosobriquet



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-11
Updated: 2015-09-11
Packaged: 2018-04-20 05:24:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4775285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sosobriquet/pseuds/sosobriquet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It didn't have to turn out the way it did.</p>
            </blockquote>





	three truths and a lie (or two)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [galfridian](https://archiveofourown.org/users/galfridian/gifts).



A young man steps into the empty space beside her. His face is hidden behind a mask, but his smile is unfamiliar.

 

In the lull of music as the songs change, he asks, "May I have this dance, princess?" Cautiously, he offers his hand.

 

Abby wrinkles her nose at the name,  even if he can't see it beneath her mask.

 

He doesn't look discouraged by the disapproving angle of her eyebrows, and she allows herself a little smile when their hands meet.

 

\-----

 

A familiar voice startles them as the third song fades into a fourth.

 

“I thought you’d sworn off dancing, Marcus,” the newcomer says drily.

 

"Jake," they say together, Marcus with a sigh and Abby with a smile.

 

“You never said you were Marcus Kane,” Abby tells him accusingly, and he shrugs.

 

Jake turns a laugh into a wide smile. “You’ll have to excuse him, he’s a man of many secrets.”

 

“I’ll forgive him,” Abby offers generously, “just this once.”

 

“It is a masquerade,” Marcus points out patiently, “mystery is kind of the point.”

 

“You just hate it when people recognize the altar boy,” Jake teases.

 

They’ve had to crowd together - standing still on the dance floor - but when an enthusiastic dancer jostles Marcus, they all have to grab at each other to remain standing.

 

One hand twisted in Jake’s collar, and one gripping Marcus by the shoulder, Abby laughs. “Let’s get something to drink,” she says with a mischievous smile, “I know a guy.”

 

Marcus doesn’t look nearly as scandalized as she expected.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Marcus holds his hands up to the dark window, catching the blue planet in his hands.

 

"It looks so small. Can you believe we used to live there?" he says reverently, with a wondering smile pulling at the corners of his eyes.

 

"We'll live there again," Abby reminds him, to chase the wistfulness from his mouth.

 

Marcus drops his hands from the window, and for a moment Abby thinks the spell is broken, but he keeps looking out on the white clouds swept over blue seas.

 

"We won't get to see it," he says, matter of fact, "but maybe our great-grandchildren will. If the monitors are right.”

 

Marcus seems to realize what he’s said right about the time Abby’s heart skips a beat. His glance is wary, and only catches her eye for a second.

 

She catches his fingers in hers. “Ours, huh?” she teases.

 

“Figure of speech,” he explains, with a tight, nervous smile.

 

“Of course,” Abby agrees, irony in the curve of her smile, and pulls Marcus to her for a kiss.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Marcus, sitting on the floor with his back against the bed, is the only one studying.

 

Jake acts as if he is, at least - an engineering manual open in his hands while he tilts his chair dangerously, feet braced on the edge of the bed.

 

Medical notes are scattered around Abby on the bed, untouched, while she watches Marcus with a focus Jake knows all too well.

 

Pretending not to notice their less-than-subtle looks, Marcus turns a page he hasn’t quite finished reading yet. Just to prove a point.

 

She runs a finger around the frayed collar of his shirt with a glance at Jake, watching over the edge of his book.

 

Very carefully, Marcus breathes past the hitch in his breath. His skin crawls, and he can feel their eyes on him without lifting his from the pages in front of him. He wonders if they’ve noticed how long it’s been since he turned a page.

 

Abby shifts, crinkling the scattered papers, and Marcus glances over his shoulder at her. She catches sight of Jake scraping his fingers along his jawline, casual, as if scratching an itch.

 

Marcus swallows, eyelids fluttering closed, as Abby strokes his jawline, fingers gently turning his face more towards hers.

 

She’s smiling past him at Jake when his eyes open again, just enough that she can see the brown irises through dark lashes.

 

“I don’t know why you have to be so difficult,” she murmurs, breath warm and inviting across his cheekbone.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

“Kane,” Abby’s voice cuts through the machine-hum, louder in the section than some.

 

He waits for her to catch up, lay her hand on his arm. “Marcus. We need to talk.”

 

At the look on her face, his question turns into a quiet, “Abby,” and a smile.

 

Taking his hand in hers, she leads him deeper into the humming of machinery before she says another word.

 

“You know that Jake found a flaw in the life support system,” she tells him, face white.

 

Marcus is surprised at her fear. “He’ll fix it,” he says, with certainty.

 

Abby clings to his arm and shakes her head. “He says there’s not enough time, and he can’t do it alone.”

 

Now it’s his face that pales. “Abby, he can’t. The council already forbid it.”

 

“He knows. He says it’s not going to stop him.”

 

\-----

 

“He won’t listen to me, either, Abby,” Marcus tells her, sounding tired.

 

Water rushes and gurgles in the walls as it’s being cleaned and treated, drowning out the low voices.

 

“Then we keep his secret,” Abby says fiercely.

 

“Jaha will be furious, the whole council will. Even a top engineer can be replaced, Abby.” There’s steel in her gaze, still, so he adds, “or a surgeon.”

 

She turns her nose up at his attempt to frighten her. “If the message gets out, arresting us would only upset the people of the Ark even more,” she says adamantly. “Jaha wouldn’t risk further upset.”

 

“And if he does? What will happen to Clarke if both of you are executed?” Marcus asks quietly.

 

“I’ll have to take that chance,” she says, sounding more sure than she really is.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Marcus catches him coming off a graveyard shift in engineering. “Do you have a minute?” he asks.

 

Jake shrugs - of  course he doesn’t have a minute, but for Marcus, he’ll make one. He keeps walking.

 

“Let me do it,” Marcus says as soon as they’re off the main hallways, where voices carry more easily. Jake feigns a puzzled look.

 

“Let me make the recording,” he insists, and Jake shakes his head.

 

“I can’t let you do that, Marcus,” Jake says quietly, but with a hint of steel..

 

“Why not?” he asks stubbornly.

 

“They may need me too much to float me,” Jake says, a rueful smile tugging at his mouth as he lays a hand on Marcus’s shoulder, “no offense, but you’re just a Guard.”

 

“What about Abby, Jake?” Marcus asks, glaring, sharp and brittle. “What about Clarke?” It cuts.

 

That chases some of the steel out of him, Marcus can feel it through the hand on his shoulder. It’s not enough.

 

“What if they get named accomplices?” he presses, and Jake caves.

 

“Alright,” Jake says wearily, offering up the data stick. “If they don’t kill you, Abby will,” he warns.

 

“So don’t tell her,” Marcus says.

 

\-----

 

Abby and Jake Griffin sit at the council table when his case is presented.

 

Abby does not cry. Jake looks as if he might. His poker face was never very good.

 

“Why?” someone asks.

 

Marcus Kane is quiet for a moment, hands clasped behind his back. He lets himself look at Jake, and then Abby.

  
“It’s my job to protect our people.”


End file.
